This seminar will link three things: life history theory (like why apparently similar chipmunks and meadow voles have such different timing of first litters-a couple of months versus a couple of years), behavioral ecology (how environments shape organisms' lifetimes-things like when does it pay to be solitary, versus in a group, even if we are talking about populations of the same species), and finally, how these two things affect how easy or hard it is to manage and conserve other species (why are lobster easy to manage, and cod very difficult?)

Time: to be worked out among us. The structure is: one to three readings a week, and everyone writes 1/2 to one page precis/criticism, which we circulate before class. Depending on class preferences, we may also each do an annotated bibliography for species we are most interested in. The 'moderator' job rotates among us.